Nothing much

I did survive the grocery store trip yesterday. It wasn't fun but now it's done until the shelves empty out again. When I came out of the store pushing the cart through the dreaded slush and ruts I was hot from roaming those aisles, like I said I'd be. So loading the bags I was thinking, gee, it's not so bad out here. Then about half way through I started to get cold and by time I finished my hands and cheeks were freezing. I got in the car and looked at the temp gage and it was only 12 degrees so of course I was cold. Actually that's warmer than we've been and after today we're going to enter a real January thaw and go to 30! A few warmer days and some sun will be wonderful!!

I was catching up and reading blogs today and they all made me think of appropriate words for the year. I can think of a few for myself that would fit but wouldn't be too helpful to the esteem which always needs a huge dose of help. So I'm thinking that because I always procrastinate or think about things too long, that my word needs to be "DO". Yup, just "DO!" If I could actually "DO" something artful everyday without over thinking it or procrastinating, if  I will DO just one cleaning/uncluttering thing a day, it might be amazing what I can accomplish. If I would just make myself "DO" something each day or at least once a week that I'm scared to "DO" or think I can't "DO", then what possibilities might open up to me.
Maybe the self-esteem will appear a little at a time, maybe the anxieties will fade, maybe I'll decide I am somebody and really "DO" have a life. Maybe.....I just have to "DO" one little baby step at a time and if I can "DO" that then next year I'll be happy to choose the word "DID"!
I read Sharon/Norah'S post a little while ago. I got so tickled reading because she reminded me of something I do constantly but always lose. Finding faces or creatures on the wall, floor, clothing, everywhere and anywhere. I love watching the fluffy clouds and how they morph into faces, bodies and creatures, but I seem to never have a camera or pencil & paper ready when I see them. There's one room where I spend a lot of time thanks to nature and a tummy that gets upset at the least thing.....the bathroom! And while I sit there, it never fails that I find a face or creature in the tiles on the floor, the patterns on the wall, the towels or the latest one that I lost now....the little hallway rug! I'm always tempted to jump off the pot THRONE, run for a pen and outline what I found! If I went in with pen in hand, I might've captured some of those fleeting fairies, gnomes, witches, bugs and creatures! For 3 days in a row I saw a face in that rug and it really crossed my mind that it's my rug and if I want to take a marker and outline a face, I can....because it's mine and it's not like I live in a mansion or anything. So if I mark the rugs or in the very dinky bathroom, if I mark the walls & floors to draw out the faces and things, so what? How many others constantly see faces and creatures everywhere? What do you do with them when you find them? There's a little store we stop at that's covered with field stone. While I sit and wait while Rocket runs in, I study those rocks and have found many creatures ready to jump out or weathered faces wanting to come alive. Wonder if they'd mind marker on their stones?
So it's nearly 3 pm and I have that mail art to start on and I want to do a altered words/altered thoughts page, too. I'm going to grab another book from the pile and pull the pages to work on them and do them following the rules and guidelines on Campbell Jane's page. If you don't visit her already, go here : http://www.alteredpages.blogspot.com/  . In the Readers Digest Condensed book I work in now, I'm leaving the pages in, even though it does make it hard to work on some pages because as I've shown I work with different colored pens and some paint here and there and then add images if I'm so inclined at the end. So this will be faster and easier doing some pages Campbell Jane's way. I adore all her work, btw, not just these pages.
I'm off to "DO" it, now!

ARGHHH!

Today is one of those days! I didn't sleep good, so slept too late and that started the day (yesterday, too) not going my way. I want to do some art just because there are artsy things swimming in my head I need to let out (good or bad) and there's another piece of mail art I need to get done although seeing it's not done (not even started) and in the mail TODAY, it's gonna be late anyway. BUT, I need to go to the grocery store and I cannot tell you how much I hate going, but I have to, I put it off until I'm out of things I have to have. I'm in a decent mood, too and so I don't want to ruin it by going to the darn grocery store! By time I get to the register, I'm hot and irritated, grumpy because of the prices and already dreading the walk through the parking lot with a loaded cart, trying to push it through snow, slush and ice. Try that, when you're fat and having to dress in boots, heavy coat and gloves.....try getting in and out of a car with all that on. Yes, I could park the cart, go get the vehicle and drive up, but even there you have to keep stepping off the sidewalk and it's built up with ice and it's way too easy to slip and break or sprain a ankle or some other body part. Don't even dare to ask if there's HELP to take your cart (s) to the car and loading. The prices keep rising and the help goes away. We won't discuss baggers, either, except to say that I don't think they bother to train them any longer. I load the conveyor right and they still pack everything wrong.
So see, my mood is trying to escape and I'm not even gone yet! There's also the drive there. Now I only have to go like 5 minutes away, across our little town. But, for those living in snowy Winters, you know what happens. It's snowmobile season, so you have to watch out for those buggers pulling out in front of you, hidden by a snow bank or thinking they can cross the highway before you get to them. In the Winter you can't just pull into parking lots, you have to watch for those snowmobilers because the trail runs right through the entrances to parking lots.
Arghhh! I've tried to convince Rocket to go to the store for me, but unless I bribe him with "I'll pay for HIS beer" with grocery money (if he's out of beer), it doesn't work.
And then, back a few posts I did mention the diet word! It's time. I'm already a week off the scheduled (in my mind) start and it's now been pushed to this coming Monday. But, going back to the store, I'm not good in a grocery store. No, you have to walk in and you're immediately in the BAKERY/Deli! Now what kind of cruel joke is that to those like me who happen to start drooling at the very smell of sweets and carbs? I've done it, I have gritted my teeth and made it through without stopping but it's not fun and I fight the constant tug to turn around and go back. Of course, then you also have to pass up the cookie /cracker aisle, the snack aisle, the  breads and of course the candy aisle. And in the Dairy, just grab the milk, eggs and Smart Balance margarine while ignoring the luscious coffee creamers calling to you and the sour cream and cheeses beckoning you to come get them. You look at the celery staring up at you from the cart and it's begging for you to grab some dip or even some cream cheese to make some dip or spread on those green ribs.
So I don't wanna go but it's 2 pm and I better go or I won't and tomorrow it'll be even worse to go. There's tourists in town and it's going to really get built up with them as the week goes on, we're talking thousands of them! It's the National Vintage snowmobile races this week end as they gear up for the World International Snowmobile races next week end.
For sure I'm not going into town or any store/restaurant then. If I was a Winter person, a snowmobiler, a snow & cold person, I'd love it. But I'm not. I want long warm sunshiny days, blue skies, a lake and birds chirping out happy songs. Not the roar of snowmobiles and stench of exhaust. ARGHHH!
And with that, I'm really going off to the store....I will SURVIVE but my arty mood will be gone, I'm afraid. On a good note, the Packers play in the first rounds of play-offs on Sunday and I can pick up treats for the game because the diet doesn't start until Monday! YEA!!!

New Mail Art

The mail art I sent out reached it's destination so I can show it now. The special birthday fairy hasn't even opened it yet to look at the card. I did send her a email just now telling her how to open the envelope without damaging the art. I just always think who ever gets the mail art will figure out how to open it. She was thrilled and I was thrilled to hear that! As usual as soon as I set it in the mail I began to fret that she wouldn't like it. I did scan a picture of the front and back before I put on the address and postage this time.

This is the front minus the address. The background started with blends of Twinkling H2O's, then a piece of wall paper border. The gal is painted over a magazine advertising I liked. I just printed it in b&w, glued it in place, covered it in gesso and then painted, using acrylic paints, more H2O's, white gel pen, and some metallic acrylics & glitter glaze. The bird was just a image I've used a lot because I like it! After adding the address & postage I added some flourishes. (which didn't look right and should've been added  a couple steps before that).

This is the back of the envelope. It also started with Twinkling H2O's for the background border and then a piece of background print from Altered Bits http://alteredbits.com/free_art.php  that I just adore!! The flower is cut and rearranged from another piece of wall paper border, another bird image and the Fairies are from yet another piece of border. Crowns were from Lisa's Altered Art. It all has a touch of glitter for sparkle, of course, and shading. Both sides are glued and protected with Mod Podge, some glue and a final spray of glossy protective finish.

Click on the pictures for a larger size to see it better. The scans never show the pretty sparkle or shimmer.

So, I'm back

Once again I let days get by me without getting on here. Mostly I was too busy reading other blogs to do any posting of my own. And I guess I just didn't have anything much to say and nothing to show. It's the January doldrums but they last until April!!
I do have a couple things to show today! One is just a non-sense play thing and the other a collage bookmark. I think a piece of mail art may arrive at a Fairy house today and then I can show that also.

So here's the fun part. This is one of those little wooden manikins used for posing when learning to draw bodies in motion. You know, one of those things you have to have and then you never use it? This gets moved from shelf to shelf, looks over me and taunts me. It always worried me because it was faceless and up here in the North, you really can't stand around naked for long without freezing or getting frost bite! So I gave that Manikin a face and then found it some clothes;  now it's a LADYKIN and doesn't bother me anymore. I know.....I never said I was a sane person!

Her face was a doodled face done on the art table covering, you know one of those things you do mindlessly while watching TV or something. When I changed the covering I ripped off and saved a tidbit here and there for use in collages.

 I taped this face to the blank head and she's been standing there with just a face, naked, freezing on the shelf right in the window! Last night I decided she really needed some clothes on so I sifted through images and found this suit cut from a sewing pattern. I posed her to fit the suit and taped it in place! Now I have a Ladykin who isn't bugging me any longer! Should I decide I really need to use the ladykin, like I should, the suit just pulls right off.

A while back I picked up a few cheap notebooks and thought I'd use them for journals. They were wire bound and had some pocket pages, too. But they were cheap....like a $1.00 so really had thin paper. I started working in one and right away knew I'd have to glue 3 or 4 pages together to do any art on them. So I did that and decided to fold several pages together and glue as half pages and so forth. I started to do art on the pages and the more I did, the harder it was to turn the pages because all that paint and medium was sticking to the wire. Then one page got so stiff it started to tear away from the wire. So, I had a teensy fit and ripped all the pages away! They will now be used as tip ins in another project someday. I need to learn how to keep the paint and such away from the wire binding if I want my pages to open/turn. I took one of the folded pages and just played with it some more and decided, even though it was a little wide, it would still make a dandy bookmark! So I continued doing layers and collaged both sides. I just kept playing with it and laying it aside, but last night I finally finished it, except for adding some tassels and stuff.

So this is 3 thin sheets of notebook paper glued together, folded over and glued again. Next was layers of torn printed card stock and several metallic paints, some other ephemera bits and pieces, glitter, cheese cloth, a bit of crocheted lace, images and more paper bits and a bit of stamping, covered with glossy Mod Podge and a touch of irridescent gesso.  The red poppy is cut from a napkin, outlined with a white gel pen, the little Fairy girl is from a collage sheet from Lisa's Art. I can't find the little siblings to give any credit but when I do I'll come back and add it. I think the bookmark will be a B'day gift to my Mom who is an avid reader! I think clicking on the pictures will gave a bigger clearer look.

Happy New Year

I  don't have art to show again today. I could probably dig around and find something but it can wait. I did work on some mail art last night while watching a movie ( The Secret lives of Bee's ). I only did the front of the envelope because it took me so long to come up with an idea I liked. Tonight I'll do the back, have the design in mind, just not sure how I want to do it. Because there's been a quite recent change in the life of the intended mail recipient, I think I might change the design as I had it set in my mind. I wanted to try something new, too, but I'm balking because I sure can't ruin a piece being done on an envelope with the card already sealed inside!
Anyway, thanks to all for the comments on my art and what I have to say. I hope to continue blogging in the new year and maybe even get better at it as I learn how to do better posts, pictures and so forth.
I don't usually make a New Year's resolution because I always break it  but if I wanted to try one, I'd say, once again, to lose weight and KEEP IT OFF and to do some art EVERY DAY! The weight part is a must.

And speaking of ART every day; The wonderful, most exciting, whimsical Sharon of Norah'S will be holding a video class showing how she paints her girly faces!!!
It will be on NING and probably sometime later in January! I'm so excited that I can barely contain myself!! I did tell Rocket that a class is coming up and no matter what it costs I wanted it to be my Christmas gift!!! So watch here for info, if you don't already:  http://allnorahsart.blogspot.com/  and if you haven't seen Sharon's work or her blog be prepared to be in for a charming treat! I sure hope I have what supplies I'll need on hand. That is going to be a wonderful start to the new year!!!

And to end the year....a BLUE MOON! How amusing is that? I haven't looked out tonight, not sure if we can even see much of the moon as we have clouds and snow on a freezing night, again. However, I did spend time viewing the moon last night a couple times when I had Ebony (teeny dog) out to do her thing. It was a very eerie but yet gorgeous moon.....it was enveloped in a deep tunnel of broken wavy clouds and created a reddish gold glowing halo. Hard to describe but I hope others in this area got to gaze at it. It was quite amazing. I can never get a good picture because we have a street light across the street too close and it ruins the picture.

Happy New Year!
Star

Blog Hopping or Stalking

I don't have a picture to show this morning but I did just have a thought roaming about in this head. Is blog hopping really a form of stalking if you continually go to your favorite blogs more than once a day or on a schedule every day? Just kidding, but really, isn't it?
Here's my routine every morning and trust me, I get cranky if  I can't follow it, unless I'm the one who decides to change it! I'm not a morning person at all; I can't get up and just hop to things for the day; if I get up early I get morning sickness, really, I get dizzy, have dry heaves and a headache! The few times in my life where I worked morning shifts were not pleasant beginnings. I get my bearings and come to life at noon or later. It's not a good thing that the world is timed opposite of me!
I get up, stumble to the bathroom and do that whole routine, go directly to the kitchen for the morning pills (old age) and then turn to the coffee pot, hoping the husband hasn't drained the pot before I get the last cup (because he arises around 5:30 which is middle of the night to me). I then usually start another pot of coffee and head for the computer, cup in hand.
First, I check e-mails and note anything that needs attention.
Next is checking in on my special fairy girls, see if there are new posts and how they all are.
Third is going to my blog and see if I had any comments or even any visitors. I decide then if I want to hear music or not. If I need it to wake up and get myself in the right mood, I turn the volume up and let my music play. If I need quiet a bit longer I turn the volume down on the speakers because I'm usually hopping over to others from my page.
Then, usually in the same order every morning I go visit my most favorite blogs and anticipate what wonders will open up! I visit 4 or 5 usually in the same order and then from those I might choose new blog links to peek at or I go back to mine and peek in on more of the blogs I visit regularly and maybe pick a new one from each of them, too.
By now it's a 3rd cup of coffee, I have too many ideas starting to chase each other in this over-loaded head, and I need to go tend to the e-mails and do any business things that need doing. Now it's 10:30 or so and I'm not dressed, but it's time to think about starting the laundry or other household things; I might even decide it's time to have actual conversations with the husband. If all else fails and I still don't feel like starting the day, I go back and check the fav blogs again, check the Fairies again and maybe play a card game until I know I have to get busy.
Later, I'll come back to get on the computer if I need to hunt images from a folder or something along those lines, and might sneak a peek at my blog or fav blogs again if I was anticipating a post being made.
I love my computer! I'd marry it but it has a dark side that makes me think of ex-husbands; not always loving, fun and easy to get along with! I live with depression and anxiety; some days I feel pretty good and manage just fine. Other days, I can't go out in public, don't want to see anyone (it's more I don't want anyone seeing ME). In the Summer, I love to spend mornings on the deck, watching birds, looking at the flowers, looking at magazines, reading or doodling but if too many folks are walking by and wanting to talk, I have to go back inside. Sometimes, it's 2 or 3 weeks before I can make myself go to the grocery store; I get ready but then can't go out the door. I know it's silly but it's how I am. So I love the computer. I can go where I want, talk if I want, look at things I love and even learn a thing or two! I can tell about myself but don't have the worries of anyone seeing me. I can be myself on here where as in real life it's too hard....in real life I'm not sure who I am. I lived my life to please others for too long and now I still try to fight that, become myself and be allowed do the things I love.

So I got off the topic; but what's the answer? Blog hopping for enjoyment and a learning experience or stalking?

One more Altered page/found words

I only have 1 page to show today. After this I need to continue to find words all the way to the end and be done with this story. When all the art is done I'll decide if it stays in this book or if I'll take these pages out and put then into their own book; which is what I'm leaning toward. We'll see, I may change my mind a hundred times before doing anything. It's that this a Readers Digest Condensed Book I'm working in. It has 4 different stories, meaning that for each section the words to be found change considerably. This section is the only one I'm trying to do as a complete story on it's own. The rest of the book is just doing a page where ever a word catches my eye as I browse the pages, I don't do them in order. I usually leave this on the coffee table along with some doodle sketch books and a container of markers and pens. While watching the games, races or a not so great movie, I play in these books or look for words. Sometimes, I push it all to the side, grab a stack of magazines, catalogs and junk mail, a trash container and just make a mess clipping and tearing images I might use some way, some how.
So here's the picture of a page I did yesterday. Today I fully intend to do some mail art that needs to get done and then I think I'm actually going to clear the table of paper scraps for a bit and haul out the paints.....if they haven't all dried up!

I read on another blog about using a CLEAR Sukura Gel pen as a resist. Of course, I don't have a clear but decided for this I'd try a WHITE Sukura Gel pen and see what happens. While searching for something or another, I spied the neglected container of  twinkling H20's. I picked out 4 colors and used them to go over the entire background. They worked out great! I always love the shimmer with these paints although I don't think it shows in the scan. I don't know why the container gets shoved where I don't have these ready at hand. Well, I do know, TOO MUCH STUFF! That's the other thing I'll be working on; packing up boxes of supplies to be sold on eBay and other boxes to be given away or sent to friends who need what I don't need! It would be nice to start the new year on a cleaner, neater, less congested work space.

Note: The stone angel on this page came from ART FREEBIES http://artfreebies.blogspot.com/